oheare@uunet.uu.net (David O'Heare) (09/28/90)
TELECOM Digest readers might be interested in this morning's telephone happenings in Ottawa. One of our local radio stations is running a promotion and giving away four cars -- special edition black Mazda Miatas, for those interested. Every once in a while the station plays a special "sting", and the 106th caller through after it wins (the station is CHEZ, FM 106.1). The calls go to a number on a "choke" exchange (613-750). The sting got played at 7:40 A.M. As a faithful listener and a fan of free cars, I try my luck. Pick up the phone, dial, and immediately get an odd busy signal - not reorder, but a busy about 30% faster than normal. As time passed it took longer and longer (eventually almost 30 seconds) to get dialtone when I went off-hook, although I always got battery immediately. Strangely, there were a couple of times that DTMF tones didn't break dial tone, though pulse dialling always worked. I guess I'm not their only faithful listener :-) BTW, the fellow who won is a college (read poor) student. I suspect he may miss a class or two today. Dave O'Heare oheaer@gandalf.ca +1 613 723 6500